Church van crash kills two

LAKE CITY, Fla., Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Two people died Friday after a church van on its way to a youth camp in Georgia flipped and crashed along Interstate 74.

There were at least nine people from the First Baptist Church of New Port Richey, Fla., in the van when its left rear tire blew, sending the van onto the east shoulder of the road where it flipped, police said.

The van's driver, 52-year-old Jeff Novak, and chaperone Michalanne Salliotte, 44, died at the scene, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Three teenagers in the van were transported to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., including 14-year-old Jacob Newman, who suffered critical injuries. Four others were taken to Lake City Medical Center.

Only one of the teenagers was wearing a seat belt, police said.

The church issued a statement asking for privacy and prayers for healing. Church members said they planned to hold a vigil Saturday and the victims would be honored at Sunday services.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.